


no. 25

by petitepeach



Series: prompt fills [4]
Category: SKAM (France)
Genre: Fake Dating, M/M, Prompt Fill, and when i say angstier, i really just mean dramatique, this turned out a bit angstier than i expected
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-07
Updated: 2019-07-07
Packaged: 2020-06-24 07:52:15
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,485
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19719373
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/petitepeach/pseuds/petitepeach
Summary: for the prompt -"i can't believe you talked me into this."





	no. 25

“I can’t believe you talked me into this.”

Lucas adjusts his grip on the plastic container he’s holding. “For the last time, it’ll be fine. We only need to stay for like, an hour, tops, and then you never have to pretend to be my boyfriend again.”

“It’s not that I’m worried about,” Eliott argues, shifting the bottle of wine he’s holding into the crook of his elbow. “It’s the fact that I’m going to have to face your dad’s entire family.” His eyes are wide. “Your cousin, the one with the hair, she terrifies me. She’s always giving me weird looks.”

 _The one with the hair_. Lucas hates that he knows exactly who Eliott means.

Lucas’s cousin Sandra is the same age as Lucas, and takes it upon herself to drop by Lucas’s apartment, unannounced. Usually she only did it during holidays, but ever since she ran into Eliott once, when he was on his way out, her visits have doubled in frequency.

“Yeah, well, imagine a lifetime of having to deal with that,” Lucas grumbles under his breath. He’s looking forward to spending time with his dad, and his dad’s extended family, as much as he looks forward to the flu.

Only, his dad had told him, in no uncertain terms, that if Lucas didn’t come to his _grand-mère’s_ birthday party, then Lucas would also have to stop asking his dad for money.

 _You never act like you’re a part of this family_ , his dad had said to him on the phone.

 _You’re right, I don’t_ , Lucas had thought. _Because I’m not, am I? I don’t even think you want me to be._

Lucas’s family was his mother, Yann, Imane, Manon, and Eliott. It wasn’t his dad, his dad’s new wife, or any of his dad’s family.

But Lucas’s _grand-mère_ has always been kind to him. And as much as he hates it, he does need help from his dad to pay rent.

So he’s going, but he’s not going alone.

“Here,” Eliott says, reaching a hand out to Lucas when they turn a corner, coming up on Lucas’s aunt’s house, with it’s tall windows and gated driveway and spacious yard. Eliott wiggles his fingers at him. “You ready?”

Lucas stares down at his hand. “What are you doing?”

“Trying to hold your hand,” Eliott says, like it’s obvious, as though that’s something they do all the time. “We’re a couple now, right?”

Lucas hesitates. He hesitates because he only asked Eliott to pretend to be his boyfriend as a way to get his Aunt Edith and all of his cousins off of his back. He hesitates because he only asked Eliott to be his boyfriend because he needed someone there for him, someone to support him, and the party was supposed to be _close family and partners only_. He hesitates because he didn’t fully consider how painful it would be to hold Eliott’s hand and pretend, when all he wants is to hold his hand for real.

But Lucas craves the comfort more than air.

So he reaches out and takes Eliott’s hand, entwining their fingers and squeezing once. Eliott squeezes back.

“If it gets to be too much,” Eliott says quietly as they start up the driveway, gravel crunching under their feet, “just tell me, and I can get us out of there. I can fake a sickness or something.”

Lucas lets out a breath. “Thank you.” He turns to look up at Eliott, watches the way the sunlight turns his hair bright gold, his eyes ice-grey. “I mean it. Thank you.”

“Lucas, come on,” Eliott laughs. “We’ve been friends for years. I’d do anything for you. This is nothing.”

“Right,” Lucas murmurs, stopping them on the front porch, “nothing.” He presses down on the doorbell.

“It’s so weird places like this exist in Paris, isn’t it?” Eliott asks, his gaze surveying the elaborate garden and lush green grass of the front yard. “I always forget there are parts of the city that aren’t metal and stone and shitty apartments.”

“This isn’t Paris,” Lucas says, right before the door opens, “this is another planet.”

Aunt Edith greets them like Lucas is her long-lost son, pulling him into a hug and cooing when Lucas shows her the cookies he made. When she turns her gaze onto Eliott, it’s appraising, obviously curious.

“Lucas,” she says, a hand resting over her chest daintily. “Who is this gorgeous young man you’ve brought with you?”

“Aunt Edith,” Lucas says with a strained smile, “I told you I was going to bring my—”

“I’m Eliott.” He drops Lucas’s hand so he can lean forward and kiss Edith on both of her cheeks. “Lucas’s boyfriend.”

“Oh.” Edith says, eyes drifting from Eliott to Lucas and back again. She gives a light laugh. “How silly of me, Lucas, you did say you were bringing someone. I forgot.”

Lucas can hear what she’s not saying. _I thought you were making it up._

He can feel his cheeks flushing because he did have to make it up. He had to convince one of his best friends to pretend to be his boyfriend.

“I brought wine,” Eliott says pleasantly, offering the bottle up. “For you, to say thank you for allowing me to come.”

“You are so _darling_. Come with me to the kitchen, I’ll get you both a drink.”

It goes the same way whenever Eliott meets any member of the family, the same wide eyes and disbelieving expression, the same, _oh yes Lucas, I heard you were bringing someone but I didn’t think…_

It’s a lot for Lucas, the judgement and embarrassment being thrown at him in every interaction. A particular comment from an uncle about _queers_ makes Lucas want to throw his wine glass into the wall.

It’s especially hard because Eliott plays his part perfectly. Almost too perfectly. He’s attentive to Lucas, filling up his wine glass when it’s empty, getting him water when he’s thirsty, occasionally resting his hand on Lucas’s lower back, resting his arm over the back of Lucas’s chair when they sit down.

He’s acting the way Lucas always imagines he would act as someone’s boyfriend: sweet and charming and loving. (Acting the way that Lucas always imagines he would act as Lucas’s boyfriend, during those endless nights when Lucas is feeling particular lonely and lovestruck.) It’s a lot, to get a glimpse of that, and to know it will never be his. Not really.

They’ve only been there for half an hour, and Lucas is ready to leave.

He’s considering asking Eliott to fake an illness when Sandra comes tottering over to them on a pair of dangerously high heels.

“Lucas,” she says, but she’s staring at Eliott, biting down on her bottom lip. Eliott shifts on the spot, clearing his throat and looking away.

“How are you, Sandra?”

Her eyes snap over to Lucas. “I heard that you brought your boyfriend. Where is he?”

_Fucking hell._

“That’s me,” Eliott says, flatly, and he’s staring back at Sandra now, eyes hard. “I’m Lucas’s boyfriend.”

“ _Really_ ,” Sandra says. “Now that’s interesting because I’ve only seen you over at Lucas’s once.”

Eliott shrugs. “We’re both pretty busy with school and work.” He slides an arm around Lucas’s waist, tugging Lucas gently to his side. “I don’t see him nearly as much as I’d like to.”

Sandra still doesn’t look convinced. Lucas tries to project his silent mantra of _stop asking questions, stop asking questions_ , out to her, as though she can read his mind.

“It’s just funny,” Sandra says eventually, taking a sip of her drink. “I wouldn’t picture Lucas with someone like you.”

Now, Eliott smiles. “I know,” he says, pressing a kiss to the side of Lucas’s head. “I’m so lucky. I don’t know what he sees in me.” He pauses, tilts his head down to meet Lucas’s eyes. “You really are the most amazing person,” Eliott says quietly. “I can’t imagine not being in love with you.”

Sandra’s face is beautiful a mix of shock and distaste, but Lucas can’t appreciate it because he might be on the edge of a breakdown.

He bites down on his tongue. _I can’t do this._

“I have to—bathroom,” Lucas manages to squeak out, slipping out from under Eliott’s arm and fleeing out of the living room. He’s making a beeline towards the stairs up to the second floor, breathing hard, head swimming, when he’s stopped by a hand on his arm.

“Lucas.” And _of fucking course_ it’s his dad.

“I can’t…” Lucas swallows down a shuddering breath. “I can’t talk right now, I need to—”

“You think you can show up here with him?” Eric Lallemant’s tone is biting, the inflection on him leaving no room for who he’s talking about. “You think it’s right to parade that in front of my family?”

_My family._

“Dad,” Lucas’s voice is cracking at the edges. “You know I’m gay. You’ve known for years.”

“It’s one thing to know it, and another to see it,” Eric snaps and _god, can Lucas get a fucking break?_

“Excuse me.” There’s someone shouldering between the two of them, someone who is tall and warm and smells a bit like smoke. “I think that’s enough.”

Eric sputters. “You dare to—”

“You dare to speak to your child that way? What kind of person are you?”

Silence. Eric looks furious.

Lucas has to swallow three times before he can speak. “I’ve never been a part of this family, and I don’t want to be a part of it. We don’t have to do this.” His voice is small, but just being able to get the words out makes him stand a little straighter, makes him stop shaking. “We don’t have to pretend.”

Eric’s gaze shifts between Lucas and Eliott, his face a bright shade of red. Lucas is expecting him to start yelling, but all he says is, “I think you both should leave,” before he turns on his heel and strides out of the hallway.

“Fuck,” Lucas can feel tears building in his eyes, tries to blink them away. “Fuck, fuck, fuck. God, _fuck him_.”

“Baby.” Eliott is turning around reaching his hands up to cup Lucas’s face. “Baby, I’m so sorry. What can I do? Do you want to go home?”

Lucas hiccups once. He wants to leave, yeah, in fact he should have left as soon as he arrived, but. _Baby._

“Don’t,” he whispers. He doesn’t want to say it, but he suddenly needs to. Eliott needs to know. “Don’t say those things to me, I can’t…”

Eliott’s voice is quiet. “What?”

“I can’t hear it, Eliott. You can’t call me _baby_ , you can’t tell me you love me if you don’t mean it.”

Eliott gently wipes away a tear on Lucas’s cheek with his thumb. “But I do mean it.”

“Not like that.”

There’s a brief pause, then, “Yeah, like that.”

Lucas pulls back, but Eliott is still there, holding his face so gently, eyes so serious. “Eliott, you can’t joke about this, I don’t think I can—”

“I’m in love with you.” Everything stops. Lucas doesn’t even think he’s breathing. “I’m sorry this is such shit timing. I was going to tell you after but, I just…” Eliott leans forward until their foreheads touch. “I’m so in love with you, okay? I agreed to pretend to be your boyfriend because I had to know what it was like. I just had to know. Even though I wanted it for real.”

“Eliott.” Lucas grips onto his forearms, desperately holds on. _Eliott._

“Your dad is such a dick. I’m sorry, but I can’t believe he talked to you like that. You’re so special Lucas, okay? You’re so easy to love. I meant what I said in the living room, and I hate hearing people say things to you that—”

“I love you too,” Lucas blurts out, rendered almost useless by the smile Eliott gives him, wide and generous and unabashed. He sighs. “And you’re right, my dad is a dick. I don’t know why I thought it would be okay to come.”

Eliott folds Lucas into his arms, one hand on the back of his head, the other across his shoulders, and Lucas buries his face in Eliott’s neck.

“No pretending, okay? Not anymore.”

Lucas nods against Eliott’s neck. Eliott kisses the top of his head.

“Can I take you home?”

Lucas nods again. “Please.”

Eliott gathers their jackets, and Lucas ventures into the living room to steal a bottle of Edith’s expensive rosé and to flip Sandra off when he leaves.

He turns towards the front door, and there’s his _grand-mère_ , leaning on her cane and speaking softly with Eliott. She smiles when she sees Lucas.

“ _Chérie_ ,” Her voice is warm. “I’m so happy to see you.”

Lucas’s throat is tight when he leans in for a hug. “ _Salut. Joyeux anniversaire_.”

She scoffs. “When you’ve had as many birthdays as I’ve had, they become less of an occasion.” Her gaze slides back to Eliott. “I was just telling your young man here that he better take care of you.”

Eliott smiles, shyly, eyes cast down, but when Lucas says, “He does,” they rise to meet his, and Lucas’s breath catches, because Eliott is looking at Lucas like Lucas is a book, like Eliott can’t wait to open his pages and dive into his stories.

It’s consuming.

“Love is all there is, you know,” his _grand-mère_ says sagely, squeezing Lucas’s shoulder with a gentle hand. Her smiles turns somber. “I’ll speak with Eric. He should know better.”

“No, that’s not—”

“I will speak with him.” Her tone leaves no room for argument, so Lucas nods, whispers a quiet _merci_ into her ear when he hugs her goodbye.

“Enjoy that wine,” she tells him and Eliott with a wink before the door shuts behind them.

Both of them let out a breath when it closes; both of them wander down to the end of the driveway, the sounds and smells of Paris rushing back to their senses as though they’ve both just emerged from a deep-sea dive.

“So,” Eliott says, “what now?”

Lucas smiles to himself, bites down on his lower lip, while he thinks. “Right now?”

“Yeah.”

“Well, I know I said I wanted to go home, but I feel…I feel a bit restless.”

“Okay,” Eliott says easily. “So what do you want to do?”

“I want,” Lucas says at length, stretching his hand out between them, “to call my _maman_. I also want to walk down to the Seine, open this bottle, and I want to kiss you. Is that chill?”

Eliott laughs. “That’s chill.”

His fingers slide between Lucas’s, and Lucas is reminded again why he doesn’t need to come to these events, why he doesn’t need these people.

He already has a family.

Eliott squeezes his fingers once. “You ready?”

Lucas squeezes back. “Let’s go.”

**Author's Note:**

> thanks for reading mecs :')))


End file.
